Night curtain device for open display refrigerator

ABSTRACT

An energy-saving open display refrigerator is provided, comprising a refrigerating portion, a display compartment portion, and a night curtain device. The display compartment portion is provided on top of the refrigerating portion, and the display compartment portion is enclosed by two side walls, a rear wall, and ceiling wall, and the display compartment portion has a front opening defined by edges of the top wall, the two side walls, and the refrigerating portion. The night curtain device is installed at the front opening of the display compartment portion and configured for opening when a movement is detected in predetermined areas around the energy-saving open display refrigerator and closing down the front opening when any movement is not detected in the predetermined areas for a specific time period.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a night curtain device for open display refrigerator. More particularly, this invention relates to a night curtain device for open display refrigerator, which provides pronouncing energy conservation in certain refrigerator.

In the open display refrigerator, there are two mutually-conflicting concerns to solve: opening up the display for customers and closing down it for energy conservation.

Accordingly, a need for a night curtain device for open display refrigerator has been present for a long time considering the expansive demands in the everyday life. This invention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-felt need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide a night curtain device for open display refrigerator.

An aspect of the invention provides an energy-saving open display refrigerator.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator comprises a refrigerating portion, a display compartment portion, and a night curtain device.

The refrigerating portion is for cooling air disposed in a lower portion of the energy-saving open display refrigerator.

The display compartment portion is provided on top of the the refrigerating portion, and the display compartment portion is enclosed by two side walls, a rear wall, and ceiling wall, and the display compartment portion has a front opening defined by edges of the top wall, the two side walls, and the refrigerating portion.

The night curtain device is disposed at the front opening of the display compartment portion and configured for opening when a movement is detected in predetermined areas around the energy-saving open display refrigerator and closing down the front opening when any movement is not detected in the predetermined areas for a specific time period.

The display compartment portion may further comprise a plurality of shelves.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator may further comprise one or more first motion detectors installed in the energy-saving open display refrigerator.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator may further comprise one or more second motion detectors installed at a plurality of external locations around the energy-saving open display refrigerator.

The predetermined areas may include a front area, side areas, and a rear area of the energy-saving open display refrigerator.

The specific time period may be adjustable on a control panel provided on the energy-saving open display refrigerator.

The night curtain device may be installed at a top edge, bottom edge, or side edges of the front opening.

The night curtain device may comprise a roller, a rolling curtain, and a driving electrical motor.

The roller is installed at the edge thereof.

The rolling curtain is configured for rolling to open or close the front opening and having a first end portion and a second portion, and the first end of the rolling curtain is attached to the roller.

The driving electrical motor is configured for driving the roller or the rolling curtain so as to roll out or in the rolling curtain around the roller.

The night curtain device may further comprise two guiding rails provided two edges of the front opening disposed perpendicularly to the edge of the front opening where the roller is installed, and the two guiding rails are configured to guide edges of the rolling curtain.

The rolling curtain may be transparent.

Alternatively, the rolling curtain may be opaque and a front surface of the rolling curtain is provided with pictures or patterns related to contents in the display compartment portion.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator may further comprise an air curtain device at the front opening.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) The energy-saving open display refrigerator according to the invention provides a powerful means to save energy; and (2) The rolling curtain can be controlled flexibly to maximize energy conservation while not sacrificing the accessibility to the refrigerator.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a night curtain device for open display refrigerator with a night curtain withdrawn according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view showing the night curtain device of FIG. 1 with the night curtain deployed;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a night curtain system according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is another schematic diagram showing a night curtain system according to still another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 through 4 show an energy-saving open display refrigerator with a night curtain system for saving energy.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 is illustrated.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 comprises a refrigerating portion 10, a display compartment portion 20, and a night curtain device 30.

The refrigerating portion 10 is for cooling air disposed in a lower portion of the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100. In certain embodiments, the refrigerating portion 10 can be disposed anywhere in the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100, or even outside thereof.

The display compartment portion 20 is provided on top of the the refrigerating portion 10, and in the illustrated embodiment, the display compartment portion 20 is enclosed by two side walls 22, a rear wall 24, and ceiling wall 26, and the display compartment portion 20 has a front opening 28 defined by edges of the top wall or the ceiling wall 26, the two side walls 22, and the refrigerating portion 10.

Of course, the display compartment portion 20 may be disposed anywhere in the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 neighboring the refrigerating portion 10 in any directions, or away from it especially when the refrigerating portion 10 is installed away from the display compartment portion 20. Therefore, up, down, side, top, and bottom directions must be interpreted relatively or circumstantially.

The night curtain device 30 is disposed at the front opening 28 of the display compartment portion 20 and configured for opening when a movement is detected in predetermined areas around the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 and closing down the front opening 28 when any movement is not detected in the predetermined areas for a specific time period.

The predetermined area may be very close to the refrigerator 100 in a crowded place. However, in a spacious place, the predetermined area may be determined considering the customer's viewing angle and distance. So it may be very large distance.

The display compartment portion 20 may further comprise a plurality of shelves 21 for items to display.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 may further comprise one or more first motion detectors 40 installed in the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 as shown in FIG. 2.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 may further comprise one or more second motion detectors (not shown) installed at a plurality of external locations around the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100, where the movement of the customers can be detected easily.

The predetermined areas may include a front area, side areas, and a rear area of the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100.

The specific time period may be adjustable on a control panel 50 provided on the energy-saving open display refrigerator 100. Of course, in certain embodiments, the control panel 50 may be provided as a part of the night curtain device 30 and it may include its own output device (not shown) such as a display and an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard or dial.

The night curtain device 30 may be installed at a top edge, bottom edge, or side edges of the front opening 28. That is, the night curtain device 30 may be installed in a fashion of up and down as shown in FIG. 3 or sideways as shown in FIG. 4.

The night curtain device 30 may comprise a roller 32, a rolling curtain 34, and a driving electrical motor 36. The roller 32 is installed at an edge of the opening 28.

The rolling curtain 34 is configured for rolling to open or close the front opening 28 and having a first end portion (not shown) and a second portion 34 a, and the first end of the rolling curtain 34 is attached to the roller 32.

The driving electrical motor 36 is configured for driving the roller 32 or the rolling curtain 34 so as to roll out or in the rolling curtain 34 around the roller 32.

Since these structures and mechanism are well known, omitting more detailed description.

The night curtain device 30 may further comprise two guiding rails (not shown) provided two edges of the front opening disposed perpendicularly to the edge of the front opening 28 where the roller 32 is installed, and the two guiding rails are configured to guide edges of the rolling curtain 34.

The rolling curtain 34 may be transparent.

Alternatively, the rolling curtain 34 may be opaque and a front surface of the rolling curtain 34 is provided with pictures or patterns related to contents in the display compartment portion 20.

The energy-saving open display refrigerator 100 may further comprise an air curtain device at the front opening. Of course, the air curtain device is well known in the community, details of which being omitted here.

In certain embodiments, the invention provides a night curtain device 30, which may be manufactured and provided separately from regular refrigerators, so that the night curtain device 30 can be installed in the regular refrigerators.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An energy-saving open display refrigerator comprising: a refrigerating portion for cooling air disposed in a lower portion of the energy-saving open display refrigerator; a display compartment portion provided on top of the the refrigerating portion, wherein the display compartment portion is enclosed by two side walls, a rear wall, and ceiling wall, and the display compartment portion has a front opening defined by edges of the top wall, the two side walls, and the refrigerating portion; and a night curtain device disposed at the front opening of the display compartment portion and configured for opening when a movement is detected in predetermined areas around the energy-saving open display refrigerator and closing down the front opening when any movement is not detected in the predetermined areas for a specific time period.
 2. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the display compartment portion further comprises a plurality of shelves.
 3. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising one or more first motion detectors installed in the energy-saving open display refrigerator.
 4. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising one or more second motion detectors installed at a plurality of external locations around the energy-saving open display refrigerator.
 5. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the predetermined areas include a front area, side areas, and a rear area of the energy-saving open display refrigerator.
 6. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the specific time period is adjustable on a control panel provided on the energy-saving open display refrigerator.
 7. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the night curtain device is installed at a top edge, bottom edge, or side edges of the front opening.
 8. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the night curtain device comprises: a roller installed at the edge thereof; a rolling curtain configured for rolling to open or close the front opening and having a first end portion and a second portion, wherein the first end of the rolling curtain is attached to the roller; and a driving electrical motor configured for driving the roller or the rolling curtain so as to roll out or in the rolling curtain around the roller.
 9. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the night curtain device further comprises two guiding rails provided two edges of the front opening disposed perpendicularly to the edge of the front opening where the roller is installed, wherein the two guiding rails are configured to guide edges of the rolling curtain.
 10. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the rolling curtain is transparent.
 11. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the rolling curtain is opaque and a front surface of the rolling curtain is provided with pictures or patterns related to contents in the display compartment portion.
 12. The energy-saving open display refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising an air curtain device at the front opening. 